DIG Mizan quizzed over 'illegal' wealth

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday quizzed Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Mizanur Rahman for about seven and a half hours to glean information about his alleged illegal wealth.

“We are collecting information from him on his and his relatives' wealth,” said an ACC high-up who is overseeing the interrogation process.

“We'll then trace the source of money,” the official said, adding after examination of his statements and documents they will take further steps. The official asked for anonymity.

After the interrogation, DIG Mizan, however, denied the allegation about illegal wealth.

Mizan was withdrawn as additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) following a marital scandal in January.

Mizan told the journalist, “I've mentioned the amount of my wealth in the income tax file. I don't have anything more than that.”

ACC's Deputy Director Farid Ahmed Patwary interrogated Mizan, who has been attached to the Police Headquarters since January 10.

Mizan arrived at ACC's Segunbagicha headquarters about 45 minutes earlier than the schedule time of 9:30am. The quizzing began around 9:00am.

After the end of interrogation, around 4:25pm, when Mizan was leaving the building with a smile on his face, journalists encircled him for his comment.

Refuting the allegations, the DIG said ACC quizzed him for a long time and he told them that he did not have illegal wealth.

“Beyond [the wealth mentioned in] my tax file, I have no extra wealth. If you want to know more, go to the enquiry officer,” he said.

Asked that he bought wealth under his relatives' names to conceal information, he said, “I won't say anything beyond that.”

As he was trying to move away from the camera, a journalist from the crowd asked Mizan about his marital scandal.

“The home ministry is carrying out an enquiry against me. They can tell how much of the allegation has been proved,” he said.

Regarding giving threats to journalists, Mizan said, “In a conversation with a female journalist, I did it. And I'm sorry for that.”

Then, guarded by two unidentified persons, he walked through the crowd of video-journalists and went away on a black SUV.

On April 25, the anti-graft watchdog summoned Mizan for quizzing him over amassing wealth illegally after getting information from media reports and other sources. ACC also launched an enquiry, and the quizzing was part of that.

There was no information yet about the amount of the alleged illegal wealth.

A number of allegations surfaced against DIG Mizan -- picking up a 25-year-old woman on July 15 last year and forcibly marrying her and picking up a female news presenter of a private television channel at gunpoint in December last year.

DIG Mizan allegedly issued threats to journalists of two different media outlets while talking to a TV presenter over the phone.

When the allegation of amassing wealth beyond the known source of income by Mizan surfaced, ACC launched an enquiry.